St. Louis Wins, 2-1, on Last Minute Goal

SAN JOSE. Cal.. Dec. 4-After a shaky start, the varsity soccer team fought back from an early 1-0 deficit, only to be eliminated tonight from the NCAA national tournament by a last-minute St. Louis University goal.

Harvard looked dazzled by the importance of the game in the opening minutes, and the Billikens capitalized on their experience in national competition by scoring at 1:28 of the first period. Mike Seerey found a partial hole in the Crimson defense and fired a low shot into the corner that goalie Bill Meyers had no chance to block.

Rather than folding. Harvard played much better after the St. Louis score and dominated the game at the start of the second period. Seven minutes into the session. Solomon Gomez fired a perfect pass to sophomore Charlie Thomas on the left wing. Thomas blasted a hard shot into the far corner to even the match.

Through the third period the play was evenly matched with neither team able to gain a clear advantage. But the signs of a St. Louis victory slowly appeared. Harvard played the entire game with only 12 players, and as the game progressed, the Crimson showed signs of fatigue.

If St. Louis had an advantage, it was the aggressive play of its fullback line. The tough defense were down an underpar Harvard forward line. Right wing Russ Bell left the game early in the first period when he re-aggravated the groin injury that has been bothering him all year. John Gordon. injured in yesterday's afternoon practice. was visibly slowed.

St. Louis began to mount a sustained attack in the fourth period. Harvard center fullback Chris Wilmot played an outstanding game and individually turned aside many Billiken threats. But statistics indicate the trend of action-St. Louis took 27 shots on goal white Harvard fired only 11 times. Meyers made five saves and the Billikens' Dan Copple was called into action only twice.

With just two minutes left in the game. Crimson booters began hoping for a replay of the Hartwick game last Saturday, when Harvard lasted through regulation play and, after a rest, dominated the overtime sessions.

But St. Louis threatened with a 3-on-2 break and the Crimson was forced to relinquish a corner kick. The ensuing dangerous kick landed right in front of the net and Bill Meyers made a save on a quick shot from out of the crowd.

The rebound came directly out to AlTrost. St. Louis leading scorer this season, and the halfback star won the match with a five-yard drive that gave Meyers no time to react.

For whatever consolation it is, St. Louis players generally agreed after the game that Harvard was the best team they had met this year. "A very nice team." coach Harry Keough said. "It took a lucky break to win."

The heartbreaking loss ended Harvard's finest soccer season in 64 years. The Crimson finished with a 14-1 record, including 10 shutouts.